Alaina the Preteen Witch

Alaina. Oh how I love this child. She is smart and witty. She is kind and compassionate. She is gentle and creative. But she is also perpetually disheveled. I often plead with her to please not look like an orphan. She often looks like an orphan.

At the moment she is currying this ginormous purple purse....think carpet bag....as her backpack, overnight bag, lunch box, etc. I much prefer to her usual option....heb sacks. Orphan bag lady.....my first born angel child.

Lanie has big hair. It doesn't help her look less orphaned. I prefer to let her be responsible for it. She prefers to let it be frizzy and big. I prefer to let her be who she is and she prefers not to be too cute by taming her hair.

But it was perfect for Halloween. We puffed it up and sprayed it with hair spray and daddy teased her that it looks just like every other morning. I think it was actually tamed by the hat....

She was totally opposed to even an ounce of sparkle or cuteness and that left few options. And having her picture taken.

But she was totally adorable.



And in true Lanie fashion, fifteen steps into trick or treating off came her hat. Thirty steps in the broom was too much trouble. And she was begging me to take off her tights and boots. Have I used the word disheveled yet?

But also in true Lainie fashion, she held her baby sister's hand all night, more concerned that Kaya enjoy trick or treating than herself. We reminisced about Halloween pasts and she kept us laughing with her dry sense of humor and the most contagious giggle I have ever heard.

If she was an orphan, I'd keep her forever......♥